Preparation:1) When the rest of your dinner is prepared and your table is set, heat the coconut oil in a large skillet. (This process takes very little time, but requires your full attention.)

2) Lightly season your fish, and then dust or dredge in the coconut flour.
3) Sauté the fish in coconut oil over medium high heat for approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your fish, until the coating is golden brown and the fish is cooked, and flakes to the touch.
4) Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

If I remember correctly, this recipe also came from my friend, Chantal, one of the best cooks I know. This salad dressing became a family favorite immediately. It is so nice to have a dressing that tastes "gourmet" but is ready and waiting in the fridge.
Enjoy.

Ingredients:1 Small Bag Shallots (6 to 8 count)
2 teaspoons Coconut Oil
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar, plus extra for deglazing
2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to tastePreparation:1) Peel and slice the Shallots; then sauté them in Coconut Oil until they begin to caramelize.
2) Deglaze the pan with some balsamic vinegar, and remove from heat.
3) Pour the shallots and vinegar into a blender, and add more balsamic vinegar – approximately one cup.
4) Turn the blender on, at first to a low setting, and then increasing the speed as the shallots are incorporated.
5) Once the high setting has been established, stream in approximately two cups of olive oil, very slowly so the dressing will emulsify.
6) Taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Store in refrigerator

Monday, January 25, 2010

Valentine's Day cards and chocolates are in the stores already! There must be a massive corporate conspiracy to get all North Americans to buy and eat all the sugar and grains in all the stores, regardless of what they will do to our health, as long as there is a profit for the sugar and grains companies! This calls for a revolution! Sugar-free, grain-free chocolate cupcakes.
Enjoy.

Ingredients:•
2 cups pecans
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup (I stick) butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (no sugar - check the label)
• Stevia equivalent to approximately 1 cup of sugar, or to taste
• 1/2 cup water (or unsweetened almond milk – I use the chocolate flavor) (You could use coffee.)Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with silicone cups or paper liners.
1) Process pecans in food processor ‐ pulse until they are meal, not quite as small as corn meal.
2) Add the rest of the dry ingredients and pulse again.
3) Add the wet ingredients and process until well‐blended.
4) Separate into muffin cups and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. When you can smell them baking, it is a good time to start checking for doneness. When toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.

p.s. If you are not a fan of chocolate, there is a basic Almond Flour cupcake recipe in GOOD FOOD. This will give you a "vanilla" cupcake result.

Preparation:1) AHEAD OF TIME: Prepare an ice cube tray with strong coffee and freeze. I use approximately 10 oz. of water to 3 generous teaspoons of instant espresso powder, and mix the coffee in a drinking glass before pouring it into the ice cube tray. Adjust the strength of the coffee to your taste. Once frozen, keep the coffee ice cubes in a re‐sealable plastic bag in the freezer.
2) Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
DO NOT consume after 3:00 P.M.

Friday, January 8, 2010

This time of year, my nails, hair, and skin can become so dry. What a great excuse to eat one of the healthiest foods on the planet - avocado. The good fats supplied by this gorgeous fruit can not be duplicated. This avocado remoulade is a sort of "mayonnaise" without all the un-pronounce-able ingredients and trans fats you find in a mayo jar. The taste is absolutely delightful. It can be used in a thousand ways, as long as you eat it all up once you prepare it. (Avocadoes do turn brown - if they last that long.)Ingredients:• 2 large avocados, cut and peeled
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (you can substitute lemon juice)

• 3‐4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots or green onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or to taste (no sugar – check the label)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of wild caught salmon fillets
• Coconut OilPreparation:1) Put avocado pieces and lime juice into a food processor or blender and pulse until blended.
2) Slowly add olive oil, pulsing, until you reach desired consistency of sauce.
3) Add minced shallots (or green onions) and parsley, pulse just until combined.
4) Remove to a bowl, add mustard, salt and pepper to taste.
5) Coat the bottom of a sauté pan with coconut oil. (Earth Chef or Green Pan Cookware is the only non‐stick cookware I recommend. It is available at Zellers in Canada or Target in the United States.)
6) Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
7) Carefully lay the salmon into the pan, skin side down first.
8) Cook the salmon until it is done, and flakes easily when pressed with a fork (approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side).
9) Serve salmon with avocado remoulade sauce.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

One of the great things about a blog is that you get to have a "do-over" any time you need one. (When you publish a book, it's not that simple.) If you have seen this recipe before, but have had only limited success with it, try it again, following these directions. We hope this helps. If not, please feel free to post a comment about any problems you might have had, and we will do our very best to help you.

Protein bars are a real staple on both the "Advanced" and the "Core" Maximized Living Nutrition Plan. They make a wonderful lunchbox treat, but you do need to ensure that they stay cold. I take one of those tiny blue ice blocks in my lunch bag. That does the trick.

You can add other ingredients to this recipe, and just process them in. For instance, some people really love to blitz in some melted (unsweetened, of course) chocolate. (If I do this, I add another 1/8 t. of powdered stevia to sweeten the unsweetened chocolate.) Personally, I prefer the bars "naked," without the chocolate topping. I simply do not complete steps 8 through 10.

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish with extra virgin olive oil.
2. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir in zucchini, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Remove saucepan from heat and mix in tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper.
3. Arrange halibut steaks in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Spoon equal amounts of the zucchini mixture over each steak. Top with feta cheese.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Note: It is important that you choose your cheese wisely. Raw is best. Failing that, I have found that good quality imported cheeses from Italy and Greece are the next best thing. The problem with other cheeses is that they come from our poor, North-American, corn-fed, feed-lot cows. We don't want to eat these cheeses.

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees

1.) Place the chicken breasts in a 9 x 13 or other shallow baking dish.
2.) Cover the chicken with a mixture made of the water, kosher salt, and olive oil.
3.) Grate or mince the garlic and sprinkle it on the chicken breasts.
4.) Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and other seasoning over the chicken.
5.) Sprinkle the Romano cheese over the chicken.
6.) Bake at 450 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
7.) Remove the dish from the oven, and pour off the excess fluid, leaving the chicken in the baking dish.
8.) Drizzle with the Balsamic Vinegar (if using) and serve.